


Soak It In Kerosene

by Stuffedpup



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, F/F, cliche?, what cliche
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 09:09:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stuffedpup/pseuds/Stuffedpup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carmilla is forced to spend the summer at her grandparent's ranch in Colorado after her mother decides she needs some time away from New York. Once there, she meets Danny, the young woman now helping her grandparents around the farm. So, maybe this summer won't be so bad after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dry Town

Carmilla had never been more disgusted in her life.

There was dust and dirt everywhere. Barely any trees. Not a single building the car passed in the last hour was taller than three stories. And there was a scent in the air that she didn't want to know the cause.

Seven hours ago, Carmilla had been waking up on a pillow top mattress in her family’s New York high rise, where the family’s chef had been preparing a decadent Sunday brunch.

Five hours ago, she had been sitting in the lounge at JFK International Airport.

And now, she was in pick-up truck, driving into the middle of nowhere.

Her mother was pure evil.

“We’re so happy to have you back, Carmilla,” the older woman driving turned to smile, and Carmilla returned it, though with a significant sarcastic edge. This was the last place Carmilla had planned on spending her summer. Could her mother telling her she had to spend the summer before her senior year on her grandparents’ ranch be anymore cliché?

It wasn't like she had even messed up or anything. Well, in a sense that she hadn’t broken any house rules or laws. Bended them to the point they were misshapen, sure, but never _broken._

“Not much has changed since you were here last, but I think you’re gonna love it. We got the guest room all set up, and your favorite meal on the stove,” the Karnstein matriarch looked over to her granddaughter,  who in the best twenty minutes since leaving Denver International Airport, had refused to speak to her. Eva Karnstein wasn’t terribly surprised. Her daughter warned that Carmilla hadn’t been… receptive, to say the least, about coming to the family home in Colorado. But… Carmilla needed to spend some time away from New York City. And as much as Eva hated to admit it, her daughter as well. She loved Deanna, but her only child could be quite overbearing.

The rest of the drive was spent in relative silence. After another hour of driving, the road turned to dirt, and Eva turned onto a drive, pulling up to a fence. Pressing a remote on the visor, the gates opened, and the pick-up rolled forward onto the Karnstein family property.

Paddocks dotted the land, horses of all colors and sizes grazing or running over the flat land. Carmilla could see the main house, directly in the center of the property. Small compared to the barn only a few yards away, but familiar. She had spent most of her time here with her grandparents, until her mother took a job in New York and refused to come back to Colorado.

Exiting the cab of the truck, Carmilla opened the rear door to grab her bag from the back seat. Eva rounded to the back, in her jean and boot glory, pulled the larger piece of luggage from the bed.

Since arriving, Carmilla got her first real look at her grandmother since she was ten years old. Breeding horses had kept Eva Karnstein a strong woman, even as she approached her seventies. Standing several inches above Carmilla, with wiry arms and short gray hair, Eva still held the sharp features and dark eyes that she had passed on to her daughter, and granddaughter. Dressed in denim jeans, sturdy work boots, and a billowy white shirt with no sleeves, Eva was picturesque western.

Eva started walking up towards the house, and Carmilla begrudgingly followed. Glancing down at her phone, Carmilla saw a notification from a text message.

_Laura(2:18): Miss you._

Carmilla’s lip curled, her face darkening after the seeing the text. She shoved her phone into her pocket. She would deal with that later.

The house was exactly as Carmilla remembered it. A single story ranch style, fenced off from the rest of the land. A brick exterior with a black roof, and patio furniture out front, Carmilla could feel the childhood memories as they rushed back.

Her grandmother unlocked the front door, ushering her inside to the cool home. The home was decorated with family pictures, ribbons and trophies from award winning horses. It was nothing like the condo in New York, with a professionally decorated home and the only picture was the one on her mother’s desk.

Carmilla wasn't sure which she preferred.

“You remember where your room is?” Eva asked, setting the suitcase down. Carmilla nodded. “Good, I’m going to finish lunch up. Go settle in and wash up, it’ll just be a few minutes.”

Carmilla walked down the hall, to the door at the end. Turning the handle, Carmilla let the door go and open to her room for the next two months.

Crisp white linens and a crocheted throw covered the queen mattress. The room was painted a pure white, with a few photographs from the ranch framed on the walls. There was a massive window on two of the walls, one facing West to the Rockies, and the other the North to open plains.

It was beautiful.

It wasn't New York.

Carmilla dropped her bag into the middle of the floor, and flopped face up onto the bed. She considered unpacking, but decided against it. Just because she had to be here, didn't mean she had to accept it.

She was tired and felt groggy from the plane ride, but her grandmother’s braised pork was waiting for her and no amount of wallowing would stop her from enjoying that. So she kicked off her boots, and walked down the hall to freshen up.

After washing her hands and splashing some water on her face, her grandmother called her into the kitchen to come eat.

“Your grandfather had to be in town today, so you’ll see him tonight,” Eva set a plate down, stacked high with food. “Danny is going to join us though.”

Carmilla shrugged, uncaring about this new person. The Karnstein family often had local boys help out around the ranch, especially during the summer months.

Immediately digging in, Carmilla ignored the footsteps behind her. “Smells good, Mrs. Karnstein.”

“I told you Danny, it’s Eva. Now sit, it’s time to eat.”

Carmilla looked up when the decidedly not male voice spoke behind her, and instead was a tall, fiery red head of a woman, decked out in flannel with the sleeves rolled up, jeans, heavy boots, and of course, a worn straw cowboy hat.

God, this place was cliché.

“You must be Carmilla,” Danny commented, sitting down next to her. “I’m Danny. I work for your grandparents.” Danny smiled.

Carmilla stared. Now this, was rather unexpected. She watched as Danny accepted a plate of food. This woman was gorgeous, and couldn't be much older than her. She was tall, but her face was young, and Carmilla couldn't help but run her eyes along the curve of her face, down her neck, to muscular tanned arms.

So, maybe this summer wouldn't be too boring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a photo set on tumblr, by user royalarmyofoz. Cross posted to tumblr under pupofstuff. Also I use the tag lawstein western on tumblr if you want to track!


	2. New Strings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a few days in Colorado, and Grandma Karnstein doesn't take too kindly to a lazy Carmilla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to bleachitwhite on tumblr for betaing!

“Carmilla Karnstein, you get out of bed this instant!”

Carmilla groaned, rolling over to shove her face deeper into the pillow. Her grandmother was knocking at the door to her room, but Carmilla had been sure to lock it last night after the other morning.

Her grandmother didn’t believe in privacy apparently.

The doorknob jiggled, and door flung open. Carmilla shot up, yelling, “What the hell?”

“You really think I don’t have a key?” Eva held up the key. Pocketing it, Eva swept in, opening the curtains covering the windows. Bright Colorado sunshine flooded in, permanently preventing Carmilla from falling back asleep.

“If you think you’re going to sleep away this summer, I’ve got some news for you,” Eva said, reaching for the covers Carmilla was hiding under and yanked them out of her grasp.

“C’mon, Eva,” Eva glared, “Nana,” Carmilla glanced away, falling back onto the pillows. “What else is there to do?”

“You could go help Danny with her chores,” Eva threw out, picking clothes from the open suitcase on the ground, and placing on the bed. “We just got some feed delivered, she could use some help getting it off the truck.”

Carmilla barked out a laugh. “Do I really look like I could lift those things?” Making a vague gesture, Carmilla rose from the bed, knowing at this point she would at the very least have to get dressed.

“Oh hush. I know you’re on the lacrosse team at school. Have to keep those muscles nice and strong for try outs, yes?”

Carmilla stretched. “It’s a walk on team, Nana. And anyway, the season doesn’t start until February.”

“Still, you’ll need to keep in shape,” Eva nodded, affirming the correctness of her statement. Carmilla rolled her eyes. At this point, it would just be easier to at least go outside and pretend she was helping Danny. She snatched the clothing from the bed, and stomped into the connected bathroom. If her grandmother was going to make her move, Carmilla was going to make sure Eva knew how annoyed she was by it.

She turned to the mirror, turning on the faucet to splash some water on her face before stripping and changing into the clothes her grandmother had picked out. There was no point in showering right now. She would just have to shower again after going into the barn.

Carmilla stared at her reflection in the mirror. It had only been four days since she arrived in Colorado. It still felt so odd not to wake up to the sounds of the city, to smell gasoline and people and that smell that made the city what it was.

Instead it was horses and fresh air. When she woke up, it was from bright sunshine, not hazy rays.

Her phone buzzed next to her. She picked it up, the screen showing a message from Laura.

Carmilla squeezed her eyes closed, locking the phone.

She didn’t know why Laura kept pushing this. They were done. It was over, and both of them needed to accept that.

She grabbed a piece of toast from the counter, ignoring Eva’s shout to put on sunscreen. She didn’t burn that easily anyway.

Letting the door swing and slam closed, Carmilla walked over to where Danny was unloading bags of feed from the bed of a truck.

Now this was a rather unexpectedly pleasant sight.

Danny had removed her shirt and tied it around her waist, so she was only covered by her sports bra and jeans. Her skin was bronzed, and every muscle was toned from hard labor. She still wore her hat, blocking out the sun and gloves to prevent her hands from getting too scratched up.

A hay bale landed in front of Carmilla’s feet, effectively breaking her staring. “Morning,” Danny called, a smirk playing across her face. “Or should I say, afternoon.”

Carmilla knew that she had been caught staring. Still, she was not a person to be easily embarrassed. Especially not when a hot girl was standing in front of her.

She lowered her sunglasses, letting Danny watch her eyes trail up and down her form. “Morning to you too. Hard at work I see?”

Danny jumped down from the bed of truck. “Don’t suppose you’re here to help me out?”

Carmilla waved her hand, leaning against the side of the truck. “Work isn’t really my thing. I thought I could just watch you, since it seems you’ve got everything under control.” Carmilla glanced again at Danny, her voice dropping an octave.

Danny blushed and cleared her throat. “Right then. I’m just going to ah, start moving things into the barn. You’re welcome to join me, if you like.”

Carmilla gave Danny her best chesire cat grin. Clasping her hands behind her back, Carmilla walked alongside Danny as the taller girl lifted bags onto her shoulders and started the short walk into the barn.

Carmilla hoisted herself on top of a stack of hay biles, leaning back on her hands as Danny stacked everything in its proper place. After a few minutes of silence, Carmilla spoke up.

“So tell me Danny, besides working for my grandparents, what do you do?”

“During the school year, I’m studying literature up at CU,” Danny wiped her brow with her arm. “I have a TA position when school is in session.”

Carmilla gave a noise of approval. “Do anything for fun?”

“I’m a VP in the Summer Society. It’s an outdoor rec club for anyone that identifies as female.” Danny grunted as she lifted another bag. Throwing it in the rightful place, Danny turned as asked, “What about you, Ms. Mysterious?”

Carmilla rolled her eyes. “I’m starting at NYU in the fall, as a philosophy major.” Carmilla fiddled with a straw of hay, watching Danny move around the barn. Danny was the exact opposite of Laura. Besides the obvious difference in looks (Laura was one of the few people Carmilla had to look down to see), Laura was an open person from the start. When she had first met Laura in ninth grade, she knew half the girls history within ten minutes of talking. Danny seemed more closed off, reserved in what she was saying. She wasn’t as trusting as Laura.

It was a bit refreshing, if Carmilla was being honest.

“Anything fun to do in town?” Carmilla looked at her nails.

Danny stretched. Carmilla made sure to watch.

“Not here in FoCo. Boulder is pretty dead during the summer, but once everyone gets back from back break, it gets pretty lively. Denver has tons of stuff though.”

Carmilla groaned. “Of course there’s nothing to do.” Carmilla stared as Danny bent over. “What about the dating scene?”

“Depends on what scene you’re looking for,” Danny said flippantly.

“If the scene has more girls like you, then that’s the scene I want.”

“No one waiting for you back in New York?” Danny questioned, abandoning her work to sit next to Carmilla.

Carmilla scoffed. “Not anymore.”

“Oh? What happened?” Danny prodded.

“We broke up. End of story,” Carmilla stated flatly. Danny got the hint.

“What about you gingersnap? Anyone… tickling your fancy?” Danny laughed.

“No, no one. I’m pretty single right now.” She stood, brushing hay off her jeans. “It’s time to get back to work. Care to help this round?” Danny smiled.

“You’re funny.” Carmilla deadpanned. “I’ll just enjoy watching you do it.” She laid back on the hay bale. “Tell me if Nana comes outside. Don’t need her getting on me.” She closed her eyes, listening to horses nicker in their stalls. A ray of sunshine came down from the rafters perfectly, creating a nice heated spot where she was laying down.

Heavy footfalls walked away from her, stopped, and then turned back around. “Carmilla?”

Carmilla opened one eye. “Yes Danny?”

“My friends are having a party for Fourth of July on Saturday,” Danny cocked her head to the side. “Any interest in coming?”

Carmilla closed her eye. “Sure, gingersnap. Sounds like fun.”

“Great, I’ll drive us. I’ll give you more details later,” Danny started walking back outside. “Oh, and your grandma is coming.”

“Carmilla Karnstein what on earth are you doing?!”

There went the rest of her afternoon.


	3. That's My Kind Of Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Fourth of July, which means that it's time for silly patriotic shirts, country music, alcohol, and more red white and blue than is necessary.

Carmilla ripped the hangars on the rack apart, growling at the lack of something she liked. Tomorrow was the party, and she hadn’t brought anything to wear for a Fourth of July party. It wasn’t like she was expecting to be invited to a party by a hot college girl.

Yes, all of the clothes back at the ranch made her look hot as hell, but according to Danny’s text, she needed to wear something that “expressed her American spirit.”

What the hell does that even mean?

 When she asked Danny that, the woman merely responded with a “whatever you want it to mean.”

Danny had met a rather rude response after that, though the emoji returned made it obvious that Danny took no offense.

Carmilla huffed, shoving the hangars and walked away from the rack. She just needed something “America” themed…

Out of the corner of her eye, Carmilla stopped a white loose fitting tank that had dropped to the floor. Picking it up, Carmilla read the decal on the front.

Well that would work perfectly.

 

* * *

 

 

Saturday afternoon, and Danny was due to pick her up any moment now. Dressed in the shirt she’d found yesterday, as well as a pair of jean shorts and cowgirl boots she’d found on sale, Carmilla added one more touch to her lipstick before smacking her lips and checking for any mistakes in the mirror.

Flawless, of course.

Her phone buzzed on the counter, the LED indicating a new message. Turning the screen on without a thought, thinking it to be Danny saying she was there, Carmilla saw that it was not so.

It was another message from Laura.

_Laura: Happy 4 th!_

Carmilla’s finger hovered over the textbox. She knew she shouldn’t reply… but it was the fourth…

The phone vibrated again, and Carmilla jumped. It was Danny.

_Danny: Outside._

Carmilla replied with a quick affirmation, pocketing her phone.

It was just past two, and the sun shone high in the sky. The Rockies peaked in the West, and no clouds even brushed the mountains.

They may not be skyscrapers, but Carmilla could admit they had a charm to them.

Parked outside the house was Danny’s old truck. A massive machine, Carmilla guessed it was the only type of car that Danny could drive without feeling cramped.

Danny leaned against the passenger side of the cab, fiddling with her phone.

While Carmilla wore shorts to stave off the heat, Danny comfortably wore jeans, worn at the knees. Instead of the normal boots, she had normal black and white converse. Where Carmilla’s tank was naturally cut to hang loose and show off her figure, Danny’s shirt was more form fitting and clung to her frame.

Danny looked up, pushing the brim of her hat up, smirking at Carmilla’s shirt. “Nice.”

“I thought you might like it,” Carmilla cocked her hip, tugging her shirt. The lettering read USA RED WHITE AND BETTER THAN YOU, and Carmilla had to say, it suited her rather well.

“I like yours,” Carmilla laughed. Danny looked down, puffing out her chest. The blue tank showed a white continental U.S. with the words BACK TO BACK WORLD WAR CHAMPS surrounding it.

“What can I say? I just love this country soooo much,” Danny replied. Carmilla walked closer. She skimmed her fingers against the hem of Danny’s shirt. She looked up, seeing a blush spread across Danny’s cheeks.

“We should get going. Don’t want everyone to start without us,” Danny opened the passenger door. “Need a hand?” Danny said, her eyes twinkling.

“Haha,” Carmilla grabbed the handle inside, and despite her ability to lift herself, two hands cupped her hips, giving her an extra boost.

“No problem with accepting a little help.”

It was Carmilla’s turn to blush.

Danny closed the door, and Carmilla closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She heard the driver’s side door open and shut and the engine turn on. “Buckle up,” Carmilla rolled her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. Danny stared back, her face completely neutral.

They stared in gridlock for a moment, before Carmilla made a sound of indignation, but grabbed the belt and clicked it in. Only then did Danny put the car in drive, and start away from the property.

The radio blasted country music, some song touting patriotism and drinking. Carmilla rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

“What?” Danny asked, “It’s the Fourth.”

“Mhm. Then why is it one of your presets?” Carmilla pointed to the updated stereo system, which indicated a numbered radio station.

Danny shrugged. “Sue me. It’s fun,” Danny turned the sound up, her hands banging the steering wheel along with the beat.

Great. Of course Danny was also a nerd.

As they drove closer to the mountains, Carmilla felt her foot start to tap along to the music. Danny glanced over, not fully taking her eyes off the road, and her grin grew wider. She started singing louder, the windows rolled down and the music blasting.

Carmilla couldn’t explain why, but she felt safe.

 

* * *

 

 

Twenty minutes later, and Danny steered the car to a dirt path that opened to a trailhead. She shifted the car into park, and opened the door.

“We have to walk a bit from here,” Danny said as she exited the cab. Carmilla followed suit.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, until the trail stopped at a large clearing. There were no trees around, but the grass grew tall. The sky was perfectly open and clear.

“Aren’t you all a little worried about the cops seeing you all?” Carmilla glanced around. No one else was around, the only sounds coming from the party they were walking towards.

Danny laughed. “Please, the police have much bigger things to deal with today. Like idiots trying to set off fireworks up in the mountains. Trust me; we have nothing to worry about.”

Carmilla could accept that.

The sounds of the party grew louder the more they walked. After a twist in the trail, the grass cleared to a large open field.

Quite a few people had already arrived, and were already clearly intoxicated. Random shouts of “ _America! Fuck yeah!_ ” could be heard, but only barely over the sound system someone had dragged in.

American flag paraphernalia hung off every lawn chair and makeshift table that was brought in. A tapped keg was being pumped by a few people trying to create a steady stream, while others drank from a personal stash. A few girls had started dancing to the music, though most stood around in groups talking.

“Want something to drink?” Danny motioned to the keg. Carmilla nodded, trailing behind Danny, watching her escort greet people along the way.

From what Carmilla could tell, Danny knew almost everyone. She stopped to say hi, shake hands, a quick hug, or bump fists with every person they passed. She would turn around, introduce Carmilla to whoever was standing by, and then they moved on.

It took five minutes longer than it probably should have to reach the keg, and Carmilla was feeling slightly overwhelmed. It wasn’t like she’d never been to a college party before, but everyone here was so… _friendly_. It felt so out of place, and Carmilla was growing tenser with every smile.

Danny took two cups from the boys standing at the keg, and offered one to Carmilla. “You okay?”

Carmilla shot her a glare. “Everyone’s just so… _nice_.”

Danny looked at her blankly, before letting out a loud laugh. “Better get used to it city girl.”

Carmilla grunted but allowed Danny to steer her back into the throngs of people.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent getting to know Danny’s friends, mostly girls from the Summer Society and a few boys from the Zeta Omega Mu fraternity. Carmilla found that beer pong was surprisingly fun, though the beer in the keg was unsurprisingly gross. She also watched on as Danny drank a Zeta brother under the table in a shot game.

Danny had tried to get her to drink whiskey without a chaser, but Carmilla gagged after the first sip. She questioned Danny on what the shitty brand was, and the redhead simply shrugged and took the rest of the shot herself.

Even with Danny stealing her shot, Carmilla was noticeably tipsier than Danny. Maybe it was the height, or Danny’s apparent greater experience with hard liquor, but Carmilla’s head was swimming quite pleasantly and her body swayed on its own to the music.

Finally the sun began to set, and the crowd started organizing into groups, everyone finding a seat angled toward the mountains.

“It’s time for the fireworks,” Danny said, taking Carmilla’s hand and dragging her to a group of girls.

They sat down on the ground, Danny unthreading their fingers after settling in. Carmilla didn’t comment, but she sure as hell pouted about it.

The sun set lower behind the mountains, until the sky was finally dark. The music cut out, and in the distance, band music could be heard.

The brass died out, leaving the area in a hush. A moment of anticipation, and then,

The first firework launched, echoing off the mountains, alighting the sky with an array of colors. More soon followed, and soon the sky was filled with blues and reds and purples and smoke.

 Carmilla took another sip from her cup, a mixture of vodka and some soda that calmed the burn, and looked over at Danny. Danny was engrossed in the fireworks, staring intently at each new blast. Every so often, during a large grouping of blasts, her smile would turn giddy.

Fifteen minutes later, and the groupings got closer together, the booms got louder, and the finale was approaching. The sky never settled, flooded with colors and sparkles and whizzing noises.

Carmilla had watched the New York City fireworks display, the largest display in the country. She drank expensive champagne out of a real glass, wearing designer clothing and talking with people she’d grown up with, while fireworks lit an already brilliant sky.

But somehow, drinking cheap liquor out of a plastic cup, surrounded by people she barely knew, a girl that she’d just met, wearing a shirt she wouldn’t be caught dead in back home, felt more comfortable and real.

The fireworks ended with a resounding bang, a moment of silence and then a cheer. The music started back up, switching from country to top 40, and Danny looked over with that smile still on her lips and asked, “Wanna dance?”

Carmilla smirked. This, she was familiar with.

A mass of people had gathered in the clearing, all very intoxicated and very giddy. Voices whooped and hollered, while they shook and shimmied to the beat of the song. The pair stepped into the crowd, and at first, they simply danced, not touching anyone else or each other. They simply moved with the beat, moving this way and that. Carmilla downed the rest of her drink, and was about to ask Danny if she wanted another one, before remembering that the other girl had stopped awhile back so she would be sober enough to drive later.

Carmilla motioned that she was going to get something else, and Danny gave her a thumbs up and nodded, turning to dance with her friend. Carmilla headed toward the table covered in bottles and cups, before pouring an unknown amount of liquor into her cup and mixing it. Whatever, it wasn’t like she was driving.

Turning towards the “dance floor”, Carmilla easily spotted Danny’s flaming red hair in the crowd. She looked so happy, so care free. She was everything Carmilla wanted to be right now.

She took another sip, spotting a body moving closer to her. Just as tall as Danny, if not slightly taller, with broad shoulders and a buzzed haircut. She remembered him being one of the Zeta brothers, and how Danny had acknowledged him, but had been surprisingly stand offish, compared to how easily she greeted everyone else.

“Hey there, little hottie,” the boy pointed to himself when he saw the questioning look on Carmilla’s face. “Kirsch remember?”

“Sure, why not,” her words slurred a little, but she still could look him straight in the eye.

“You’re, uh, Danny’s friend, right? She brought you along?” Kirsch kept looking to the crowd, eyes seeking Danny out, or at least that’s what Carmilla would guess.

“Mhm. She works for my grandparents. She invited out of the good graces of her heart.”

Kirsch gave a forced laugh. “Yeah, that sounds like Summer Psycho… Well uh, that’s cool. I’m glad that… yeah. Anyway, I have to go catch up with my bros. Hope to see you around, hottie,” He left with what Carmilla thought was supposed to be a charming smile.

Shaking off how odd that whole interaction was, Carmilla headed back to the crowd. The new drink was making her already fuzzy head even fuzzier, and the only thing she could focus on right now was how Danny looked moving to the music.

The music switched, and a song with a heavy bass pumped through the speakers. Perfect.

Carmilla snuck behind Danny, wrapping her arms her so her hands landed on a flat stomach.

Danny turned her head, looking down at Carmilla. “May I help you?”

Carmilla smiled. “Dance with me?”

Danny responded by turning in Carmilla’s arm, pulling the girl closer to her body. Despite Danny’s height, their bodies locked together, swaying to the music as the bass deepened.

Fronts together, arms running along waists and backs and never dropping low enough, the haze in Carmilla’s head growing stronger. The only thing she could see was Danny. The only thing she wanted was Danny.

Never one to not go after what she wanted, Carmilla placed her hand on the back of Danny’s neck, drawing Danny’s head down, raising herself up onto balls of her feet to meet Danny’s lips with her own.

This was better than fireworks.

Their mouths moved against each other, Danny’s hands tightening on her hips. Carmilla tangled her fingers in the long strands of Danny’s hair, keeping Danny pressed against her. Carmilla nipped at Danny’s lower lip, asking permission to take the kiss further.

Instead, Danny pushed her away.

Her eyes were closed, a pained expression on her face. “I’m sorry, I don’t… I just can’t right now.”

If Carmilla had been in the right state of mind, she would have shrugged it off, made a snide comment, and let it go. If she had felt like it, she may have asked Danny why.

Unfortunately, Carmilla was very much not in her right mind. The only thing that managed to get through the fog was that Danny had rejected her, after what had been an amazing kiss. For no reason that Carmilla could think of.

So instead of simply backing off and returning to just dancing, Carmilla shoved Danny away from her, and stormed away from the party. If Danny wasn’t going to kiss her some more, she didn’t feel like being there for a second longer.

“Carmilla! Carmilla wait!”

Danny was chasing after her. Carmilla didn’t care.

She continued powerwalking down the path, occasionally losing her footing on the uneven trail. She wasn’t walking as fast as she thought though, because within seconds Danny caught up to her.

Stupid long legs.

“Carmilla, I’m sorry. I know I’ve been flirting with you a lot, and I feel like I might have led you on, I just…” Danny sighed. “There’s just a lot going on right now, and I’m not sure if I can get involved with anyone. I’m sorry.”

Carmilla shot her a withering glare.

Danny sighed. “At least let me drive you back. There’s no way you could get yourself home, even if you were sober.”

Carmilla considered Danny’s words. She did have a point. She wasn’t even sure if she was heading in the right direction.

“Fine,” Carmilla grumbled.

Danny let out a breath, happy that Carmilla wasn’t fighting her on this. “C’mon, the car is this way.”

Of course.

Danny guided Carmilla in front her, so she had a better eye on the swaying girl. She led her back to her truck, helped her climb inside, and buckled her in before walking around to the driver’s side.

The drive back to the ranch was silent. The roads were clear, so thankfully it was quick. Carmilla focused on attempting to not let the rocking of the cab stir up her stomach too much.

They pulled up in to the drive, but rather than go straight to the house, Danny veered off to the right towards the guest house.

That was right. Carmilla had forgotten that Danny lived on the property, using the guest house for the summer as part of her agreement with her grandparents. But why was she heading there?

Danny halted the truck, turning off the engine. “Your grandparents would kill me if they saw you right now. You can crash on the couch tonight.”

Carmilla nodded. It made sense.

Danny helped her out of the car, supporting most of her weight, though it wasn’t necessary. The haze in Carmilla’s head was starting to clear, and was being replaced with a rather sharp pain at the base of her skull. She just wanted to sleep.

Danny laid her down on the couch, making sure she was on her side just in case and covering her with a blanket. Her eyes close, and rough fingers softly brush her bangs off her face.

“Night, Carm,” it’s soft, and she barely catches it before she drifts off.


	4. Better In The Long Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day after the party, and Carmilla learns something new.

When Carmilla woke up the next morning, she expected the headache and grogginess. What she hadn’t been expecting, was the small pills and glass of water on the table next to her, or the smell of breakfast coming from the small kitchen. Carmilla swung her legs off the couch, sitting up slowly to avoid making her headache worse. She tossed the pills in her mouth, drinking the glass of water.

“Good to see you up,” Carmilla turned, Danny leaning against the entry way to the kitchen.

Carmilla groaned. “Just barely,” She rolled her neck, squinting at the sun streaming through the windows. “Ugh, turn off the sun.”

“Sorry, buttercup, this is your punishment,” Danny teased, heading back into the kitchen. “Bacon and pancakes will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Thanks,” Carmilla replied, standing up to stretch. “Where’s the bathroom?”

Danny jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, pointing down the hall. “Last door on the left.”

“Awesome,” Carmilla trudged down the hall, shoulders hunched. She splashed some water on her face, and rinsed her mouth out. Running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame the wild locks, Carmilla took a deep breath. How was she supposed to sit with Danny and talk to her after last night? She had come on to the redhead incredibly strong, and Carmilla knew that maybe it had been a bit fast, but honestly, she was only here until the end of the summer. It wasn’t like she was asking Danny to be committed or anything.

Rolling her shoulders, Carmilla shook her limbs, trying to force her blood flowing.

She stepped outside the bathroom, catching banging coming from the kitchen. She walked past an open bedroom door, clothes that were obvious Danny’s on the floor, bed sheets hanging off the side of the bed.

Carmilla peered around the corner, and saw no sign of Danny. Carmilla could admit she had little to no sense of personal space. Maybe she could just take a quick look around….

She sifted through the items on Danny’s desk. It was mostly paperwork, forms from the university, and other clerical things. She wandered over to the bedside table, picking up the book, something heavy and thick. Carmilla turned it over in her hands, then picked up the only other item on the table, a simple picture frame.

The photograph looked recent, with Danny sporting her favorite hat and hugging a young boy, roughly about two years old in age. Both of them were smiling, and Carmilla had never seen Danny look so happy, even in the short time she had known the older girl.

“What are you doing?”

Carmilla whipped around, still holding the frame. Danny’s look of confusion fell into a frown.

“Sorry, I just got curious. Who’s this?” Carmilla questioned, holding the frame up. “He’s cute.”

Danny stayed quiet for a moment. “That’s Tanner,” she took the frame from Carmilla, and placed it back on her bedside table. “He’s my son.”

The room was uncomfortably silent. “Your son?”

Danny bristled. “Yeah. My son.”

Carmilla swallowed. Out of all the possibilities, she hadn’t even considered that as an option. Upon further inspection though, it was fairly obvious. The boy had Danny’s eyes, and he was already tall for his age.

Danny sat down on the bed, and Carmilla followed. “Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting that.” Carmilla stayed quiet for another moment. “So where is he? If I can ask.”

Danny’s face contorted, but she still answered. “Family friend. They wanted another kid, but couldn’t conceive… and it just worked out.” Danny paused. “They let me come see him whenever I can get there. He thinks I’m just a good family friend. They swear that when he’s older, they’ll tell him, but… it’s probably better if they don’t.” She sighed. “I’m not ashamed of him. I don’t care if people know.”

Carmilla shook her head. “I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around it. You seem like the last person that this would happen to.”

Danny blew out her breath, leaning back on her palms and looking at the ceiling. “My senior year of high school, I got in a really bad fight with my parents. I had thought that when I came out to them the year before they were fine…” She shrugged. “They weren’t.

“I think I made a dumb comment about a character on TV, and then all of a sudden my mom started yelling at me about how I had to pick a side, either gay or straight, not bi. I yelled at her, she yelled at me, and eventually I bolted.

“There was a party at a friend’s house. I went there, got pretty wasted, you know the story. Anyway, fell into bed, few weeks later realized I was pregnant. Ninth months later, I had Tanner. That’s it really.”

Carmilla thought for a moment. “Kirsch is the dad isn’t he?”

Danny tensed. “How do you figure that?”

“At the party last night, he was the only one you wouldn’t talk to. And when I went to get myself a drink, he tried to talk to me about you.” Carmilla looked over at Danny. “Did something else happen?”

“After I found out… I wasn’t sure what to do, and when I told him, he freaked out. He wanted me to get rid of him.” Danny unconsciously placed a hand on her lower abdomen, rubbing slow circles. “I couldn’t do it though. Kirsch flew off the handle after that. Told me he would refuse to help out, wasn’t his responsibility. I’ve never really forgiven him after that.” Danny sighed and stood. “It’s the past now, and I’m happy, and Tanner’s happy. That’s all that really matters.” She turned to Carmilla. “Ready for breakfast?” She smiled and left the room.

Carmilla sat there, stunned. She hadn’t been expecting that conversation, let alone for Danny to be so amicable. She shook her head, and followed Danny into the kitchen.

Danny was busying herself with dishes, piling plates with food.

Carmilla sat down at the table, thanking Danny when the plate was sat down in front of her. “Danny, about last night…”

“Carmilla.” Carmilla looked up to see Danny staring at her. “It’s not your fault okay? I know I wasn’t sending the clearest of signals.” She took a bite of food before starting again.

“Ever since Tanner, I’ve had trouble being clear with what I want. I am attracted to you, Carm.” Danny looked her dead in the eye. “But I’m not very emotionally available, and I can’t do that to you.”

Carmilla snorted. “I’m not exactly looking for long term Gingersnap.”

Danny shrugged. “Still, I don’t think it’s wise. I do want to stay friends with you though,” Danny looked down at her plate. “You’re fun to talk to and be around, and I think we could be good friends, if we tried.”

Carmilla thought about it. It wasn’t often that she was just friends with someone. Especially someone that she was very much attracted to.

But she still had the rest of the summer to get through. Danny was fun, and it wasn’t as if Carmilla was going to have many other opportunities to be around people her age.

“I can do friends.” Carmilla said, biting down on a piece of bacon.

Or at least, she could give it a try.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a photo set on tumblr, by user royalarmyofoz. Cross posted to tumblr under pupofstuff. Also I use the tag lawstein western on tumblr if you want to track!


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